BIG YELLOW TAXI
Joni Mitchell • Key:
⭐ Official Master Chart
OLGA Archive
BIG YELLOW TAXI
Joni Mitchell
From: Harlan L Thompson
TUNING: E B E G# B E
A
Asus
A
Asus
A
B
Bsus
B
Bsus
B
E
Esus
E
Esus
E
They pa
A
ved paradise and put up a park
E
ing lo
Esus
t
E
Esus
E
With a pi
A
nk hotel, a bou
B
tique and a swingin' h
E
ot spot
CHORUS:
D
E
on't it always seem to go
That you d
A
on't know what you've got till it's gon
N.C.
e
They pa
A
ved paradise and p
B
ut up a parking l
E
ot
(C
Esus
hoo
E
Esus
bop bop bop
E
bop, ch
Esus
oo
E
b
Esus
op bop bop b
E
op)
They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see 'em
CHORUS
Hey farmer farmer, put away that D.D.T. now
Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees
please
CHORUS
Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man
CHORUS TWICE (with only one chooo bop... at each end)
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot (choo bop bop bop bop)
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot
E --[E]0----[A]5----[B]7---[Esus]-0---[Asus]-5---[Bsus]-7-----
B --0----5----7----0----5----7-----
G# --0----5----7----1----6----8-----
E --0----5----7----0----5----7-----
B --0----5----7----2----7----9-----
E --0----5----7----0----0----7-----
NOTE: I don't actually know if these chords are "sus" chords, but I had
to call them something! Also, on the first two lines of the chorus and
frequently on the verse, it is better to somewhat muffle the chords so
that the rhythm can be heard but the actual notes barely heard. Also,
the song can be played in regular tuning with the same chords, but I
think it sounds much better this way (and this is what J.M. actually does).
Also, please post if you know any J.M. songs in their actual
tuning. I hear that of all her guitar songs, she only did around
two of them in standard tuning!
(from Ladies of the Canyon, 1970)
Speed